Nine Afghan nationals were detained at Karachi Airport on charges of using fake medical documents to enter Pakistan, Pakistani media reported. The arrests, which took place over the past three days, were confirmed by Pakistani officials.
According to the report, the Afghan citizens took advantage of the suspension of travel visas to Pakistan for Afghan nationals by presenting forged medical certificates. They claimed to be seeking medical treatment as a means to enter the country.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) of Pakistan issued a statement, cited by The Express Tribune, detailing that these individuals had used the fake documents to gain entry. After arriving in Pakistan, many of them sought visas from embassies and consulates in cities such as Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi, with the intention of traveling onward to countries like the United States and Japan.
The arrests highlight ongoing frustrations among Afghan citizens, who have repeatedly voiced concerns about corruption in the visa issuance process for Pakistan. Many have reported being denied visas despite paying the required fees and completing the necessary procedures.
Since the collapse of the Afghan government in 2021, a significant number of Afghan nationals with asylum cases in Western countries have been forced to seek refuge in Pakistan or Iran, where Western embassies continue to process their applications. However, many Afghans have expressed frustration with the difficulties they face in obtaining visas from Pakistan, further complicating their already precarious situations.
